We've been keeping busy, having fun here in El
Paso, just enjoying our summer. Here's some of what we've been up to:
We've been doing a lot of "making-our-house-a-home" projects-- here's a table we found for cheap that we refinished -
First we had to clean it, and get it all sanded up -
Then we put our finish on. . . a few coats of stain, and then a clear top coat. . . and voila!
Fuzz is playing on a team for the main post softball league. It's been so much fun going to all of his games! He's so good and has so much fun playing with his friends. It's been fun getting to know the other army wives, my fellow spectators;) We all cheer loud for our men! The other night this little boy was watching his dad play; he was just up to bat, and chose not to swing because he wasn't
feelin' the pitches, and his cute little boy was just clinging onto the fence behind him
yellin, "
C'mon dad, just swing at the ball, why aren't you even trying?!" It was so so cute!
One of Fuzz's favorite things to do in the whole world is to play golf. His mom was so nice and gave me some clubs before we came out here, and Fuzz has been patiently teaching me how to use them ;) I've grown up my entire life with a golf course just yards behind my home, however my attitude towards the actual game of golf was lacking interest. The extent of my activity on the golf course could be summed up as walks across it to my bus stop, and my infamous lemonade & rock stand. (Yea, we started with the lemonade, but then got bored and just started picking up big rocks around us and people would actually pay for us to just stop yelling, "Rocks and lemonade for sale!!!") But now that I kinda have an idea about what's going on. . . I actually really like it! I'm not going pretend it hasn't been a humbling experience for me. . . It's hard being a
newby at anything, but even harder when your a
newby hangin out with a pro! Fuzz really is so good-- he's been so patient with me. Some golf days are better than others. . . but I'm
hangin' in there, just gotta keep on
goin ;)
It's all about
concentration. . . keep your eye on the ball.
Okay, here it looks like I'm concentrating a little much--
This is how we golf with Coleen-- on the phone;)
Hey!
We've made it a goal to go to the temple every single month, and it just so happens that the closest temple that we can go to is about 4 hours away in Albuquerque. We were so excited to drive up there! We had everything all planned out; we had our rental car, our room reservations, our temple recommends, our overnight luggage-- we thought we were set. So we had checked the weather, and knew that there was going to be a little bit of rain, but we were sure it wasn't going to be a problem. We were about a half hour out of the city driving right towards what looked to be like a huge black hole. Then the rain began to fall. As far, and as wide as we could see, there was only darkness, except for the lightning. This was one of the most amazing shows I'd ever seen! Fuzz and I love the lightning, so we were just enjoying watching it, as it was directly in front of us. Then Fuzz started getting tired, which was something I wasn't expecting, but I was so glad he told me, so that we could switch places. He said that he just needed a little nap and then he should be fine for the rest of the drive, so we pulled over and switched places. I had been driving just minutes when all of the sudden the rain began to pour, like I have never felt so afraid for my life, that's how bad. I became so stiff at the wheel, so frightened because I couldn't even see in front of me enough to know where to pull over, I couldn't see anything! I just hoped that the road would keep going straight and prayed and prayed and prayed that it would. Finally we came to the border patrol checkpoint. It was like a huge covering with like 3 or so different lanes that you could pull up to where they inspect your car and make sure that you're all legal citizens. So I pulled up, never having done this before, and rolled down my window. A young kid comes up to the window and asks if we're legal citizens, and then asks where we're going, and where we came from. I'm getting nervous as his questions are getting faster like, "How long have you lived there?" I had to think about it for a second, and count it up, but he was already spewing out more questions, "Where are you going? For how many days?" I couldn't keep up, I felt like I was guilty, and I totally wasn't! This interrogation was getting ridiculous, and some how I accidently slipped out a little, just a tiny little giggle as I was trying to keep up with his questions. I giggle when I get nervous, I don't know why, I just do-- and he was totally making me nervous. K, this is totally a time where giggling is super inappropriate, and if I could have at all kept it in, I so would have. He asked me if I thought this was funny, with a tone of voice that Fuzz says, "Is not an appropriate tone of voice to talk to my wife with." And then told me that now he wanted to look in my trunk. I was happy to pop it open for him, as I had nothing to hide-- He of course found nothing, and told us to go. Not a happy camper was he-- but I know he was just doing his job, and I had to just tell myself that I really was grateful for that.
So we continued on our way, and suddenly the rain stopped. Fuzz and I had switched places back at the checkpoint, but now that the weather had calmed down a bit, we were switchin back so he could get a his quick nap. Just about as soon as I enter back onto the freeway. . . the rain begins to fall again-- I'm freakin out! I can't see anything, and the windshield wipers are going as fast as they can, but it's not fast enough. There is lightning, and rain, and all these little white things all over the road-- I can't figure out what they are--it looks like they're moving-- I'm trying not to even think about them and just focus on staying on the road. I would have pulled over but I didn't know how-- I didn't know how high the road was and if I pulled off I didn't know where I'd go! Fuzz was watching the road and the rain, trying to help me drive through it and then said that those little white things all over the road were frogs-- like hundreds or maybe even thousands of frogs; some dead, some jumpin--all freaking out, and freaking me out even more! Finally, finally we got somewhere that we could see an exit. . . I felt like I was driving through a river, so I slowed way way down afraid of hydroplaning. Fuzz and I switched places, again. We continued to drive as it continued to pour, but finally after about 3 hours of it, we arrived in Albuquerque. It was really late, and we were both totally exhausted, but we made it!
We woke up early, snuck in a yummy breakfast, and made it to our session just in time. This temple was so beautiful! We took a couple of pictures before we went in, but later as we were leaving, there was evidence of more stormy weather. We had just missed the storm, but took advantage of all the beautiful flowers still lush and moist from the shower; perfect time for some pictures. . .
